ERIK MORALES doesn’t believe he had been vanquished by Manny Pacquiao in their second encounter in Las Vegas last month.
That’s for sure. Otherwise, the proud boxer fondly called the Aztec Warrior by his countryman would’ve not challenged Pacquiao to a third encounter.
He doesn’t say it, but after acknowledging Pacquiao as a younger, hungrier fighter, Morales has appeared convinced it was the weighing scales that had beaten him at the Thomas & Mack Center on Jan. 21.
Or that he lost to the weighing machine, not to the sharp, blazing punching machine also known as Pacman.
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For the record, Morales had to lead the sordid life of a hunger striker in the run-up to the rematch with Pacquiao.
While Pacquiao was enjoying princely meals of his choice, chicken tinola and fish galore, Morales had to rely on pauper’s fare while training for the rematch.
So did we ever hear Morales admit that Pacquiao was the better boxer in their second fight?
Stronger, maybe. Faster, yes. But better?
No way. The best compliment Morales could offer was to acknowledge Pacquiao had “displayed more control in his attacks.”
This fact was relayed to Joaquin Henson of the Philippine Star by Morales publicist Ricardo Jimenez.
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Morales would not admit that the Filipino boxing great he met for the second time was no longer the easy target that he had described as one-dimensional after their first fight.
There indeed have been tremendous improvements in Pacquiao’s arsenal. However, Morales was too proud to credit the sweet transformation displayed by Pacquiao which had resulted in the epic conquest scored by the greatest living Filipino athlete over the Mexican boxing legend.
Morales insists on a third fight. His promoter, Bob Arum, did not tarry and announced a rubber match, possibly in September.
He was beaten by Pacquiao, but Morales has refused to accept defeat.
At least, in Pacquiao’s case, he did admit that he had lost to a better fighter last year. Of course, Pacquiao was also quick to state that the result of the first encounter with Morales could’ve been altogether different if not for a bloody cut which blurred his vision and totally wrecked his ability to properly locate his foe starting the fifth round.
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In the rematch, Morales had looked demolished and devastated when he was promptly prevented by referee Kenny Bayless in a senseless try to get up after suffering a second knockdown late in the 10th round.
Morales was rushed to the hospital for an immediate check-up. Rumors spread he had either cracked a rib or fractured his jaw.
An immediate rematch was overruled.
But after the Morales camp had announced their man did not suffer any major injury, the selling of a third encounter between the fierce rivals was on.
Naturally, there had been initial misgivings that the Pacquiao-Morales III would be another sell-out.
But those who distrust the wisdom of holding a rubber match between the Filipino and Mexican rivals have conveniently forgotten the selling genius of Bob Arum, the man who promoted Thrilla in Manila in 1975.
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Morales may have to resort to voodoo or other untried means in his forthcoming battle against the weighing scales.
Whether he would be able to normally trim down to 130 lb for the dream rubber-match with Pacquiao will again be a topic of serious debate.
But, come to think of it, didn’t Pacquiao also suffer a stoppage after losing to the weighing scales when he was stripped of his WBC flyweight title on the eve of his defense against Medgoen 3-K Battery of Thailand in 1999?
At least, in Pacquiao’s case, he humbly admitted defeat and next moved to the super bantamweight division.
In batting for a third encounter with Pacquiao, Morales will be gunning for the impossible.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean Pacquiao would enjoy another punching picnic if and when Pacquiao-Morales Part 3 pushes through.
